family diversity

describe functionalism and the functional fit theory for family

PARSONS - Functional fit theory.

The kind of functions a family performs will depend

upon the kind of society in which it is found.

the nuclear family as uniquely suited to meeting the needs of modern society

The Nuclear family - Found in industrialisation - this is

because:

Geographically mobile workforce - people need to

move around to go where the work is. This is easier for

the compact nuclear family.

A socially mobile workforce - It is important that

talented people can win promotion and take on

important jobs even if they are poor - achieved status!

A nuclear family allows a son to be successful without

tensions with his father.

All other types of family are seen as dysfunctional

what are the 2 "irreducible functions" of functionalism

KEY ROLES Primary socialisation of

children and stabilisation of the adult

personality

due to the family's ability to perform these functions we can generalise about the type of family found in modern society. other family types are seen as dysfunctional as they are less able to perform the functions required of the family.

Evaluation of the functionalist view- critiscms

feminists- oppression of women in nuclear family

dark side of the family

interpretivists- fail to consider meaning of family life for its members.

evaluation of the functionalist view- strengths

other perseoctives have highlighted importance of nuclear family- new right

highlights importance of family

describe the new right's view on family diversity

they are quite conservative and anti feminist

The traditional or conventional nuclear family is the

"correct" family type.

This family is 'natural' and based on fundamental biological

differences between men and women.

The family is the cornerstone of society; a place of

contentment, refuge and harmony.

they oppose most family changes such as lone parent families and cohabitation.

The NR say that the decline of the traditional family and the

growth of family diversity are the cause of many social

problems such as higher crime rates and declining moral

standards generally

why do the new right believe lone parent families are harmful to children

Lone mothers can't discipline their children properly

No male role models for boys - educational failure

More likely to be poorer and a burden on the state.

critiscms of the new right

They exaggerate the decline of the Nuclear family. Most

adults still marry and have children. Most children are reared

by their two natural parents. Most marriages continue until

death. Divorce has increased, but most divorcees remarry.

Feminism (oakley)- gender roles are socially determined rather than being fixed by biology.

Traditional gender roles and the nuclear family are oppressive to women.

Feminism - divorce being easier is good because without it

many women end up being trapped in unhappy or abusive

relationships.

Most single parents are not welfare scroungers - most want to

work but find it difficult to find jobs that are flexible enough

so they can balance work and child care.

Chester (see later!) argues that the New Right exaggerate the

extent of cohabiting and single parent families - most children

still spend most of their lives in a nuclear family arrangement

what did the new right claim was the main reason of lone parent family

collapse of relationships between cohabiting couples.

benson found that over the first 3 years of a baby's life The rate of family breakdown is much lower amongst

married couples (6% compared to 20%).

in the new right view, only marriage can provide a stable environment to bring up children- Children from broken homes are almost five times more

likely to develop emotional problems

what did new right thinker benson view cohabitation

marriage is more stable as it requires a deliberate commitment to each other but cohabitation allows partners to avoid commitment and responsibility

criticism of the new right

The feminist Ann Oakley (1997) argues that the New Right wrongly assume that husbands and wives roles are fixed by biology. Instead, cross-cultural studies show great variation in the roles men and women perform within the family.

eminists also argue that the conventional nuclear family favoured by the New Right is based on the patriarchal oppression of women and is a fundamental cause of gender inequality. In their view, it prevents women working, keeps them financially dependent on men, and denies them an equal say in decision-making

Critics of the New Right argue that there is no evidence that children in lone-parent families are more likely to be delinquent than those brought up in a two-parent family of the same social class.

The rate of cohabitation is higher among poorer social groups. Therefore, as Carol Smart (2011) points out, it may be poverty that causes the breakdown of relationships, rather than the decision not to marry

describe chester and the neo conventional family

chester recognises that there has been some increased diversity but doesnt view it negatively. the only significant change is the move from the traditional nuclear family to a neo conventional family.

this is a dual earner family in which both spouses go to work.

he argues that the increase in family diversity is temporary and the nuclear family remains ideal.

he believes that due to a life cycle an individual will have been part of a nuclear family at one point in their life stage.

what patterns has chester identified

most poeple live in a household headed by a married couple

most adults marry and have children and are reared by their 2 natural parents

most marriages continue until death. divorce has increased but most divorcees remarry

cohabitation has increased but is often temporary- stage before marriage

therefore for Chester the extent and importance of family diversity has been exaggerated. chester sees the nuclear family as dominant.

what did the rapoports believe about family

argues that diversity is of central importance in understanding family life today. they believe that we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family as the dominant family to a range of different types. in their view family diversity reflects greater freedom of choice and the widespread acceptance of different cultures. they see diversity as a positive reposne to people's different needs.

what are the 5 different types of family diversity in britain - organisational

differences in the ways family roles are organised such as some couples having joint conjugal roles and 2 wage earners while others have segregated conjugal roles and one wage earner

what are the 5 different types of family diversity in britain- cultural diversity

different cultural, religious and ethnic groups have different family structures. such as higher proportion of extended family in asian cultures

what are the 5 different types of family diversity in britain- social class

differences in family structure are partly the result of income differences between households of different social classes. likewise there are class differences in child rearing practices.

what are the 5 different types of family diversity in britain- life stage diversity

family structures differ according to the stage reached in the life cycle.

what are the 5 different types of family diversity in britain- generational diversity

older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods in which they have lived. such as different views on divorce

Describe the post modernist view of family diversity

Such as Cheal state that we no longer live in a modernist society with its predictable, orderly structure such as the nuclear family. In their view society has entered a new chaotic post modernist stage.

They state that there is no one dominant family structure but fragmented into many different types of family structure.

They state that individuals now have more choice in their lifestyles.

Advantages and disadvantages to a greater choice and diversity

Ad- gives individuals greater freedom to plot their own life course- to choose the kind of family to meet their needs

Dis- greater choice means a greater risk of instability as these relationships are more likely to break up

Describe Stacey study in post modernist view family

She argues that greater freedom and choice has benefitted women. It has enabled them to free themselves from the patriarchal oppression.

She used life history interviews for this research in Silicon Valley and found that women rather than men have been the main agents of changes in the family.

Many women interviewed rejected the traditional housewife mother role and created new types of family that better suited their needs.

What is the divorce extended family.

Members are connected by divorce rather than marriage. The key members are usually female and may include former in laws, or a man 's ex wife and new partner

Such case studies illustrate the idea that post modern families are diverse and that their shape depends on the active choices people make about how to live their lives.

What does Morgan argue about family diversity

Making generalisation about family is pointless. Rather a family is what the people involved choose to call or shape their family. Sociologists should focus their attention on how people create their own diverse family types.

Describe the individualisation thesis

Giddens and beck explore the effects of increasing individual choice upon families and relationships.

It argues that traditional social structures such as class have lost their influence. In the past people were defined by fixed roles that largely prevented them from choosing their own life path.

We have become free from traditional roles leaving us with more freedom to choose how we lead o it lives.

Beck says that the life course we have followed in the past have been replaced by the "do it yourself " biography

Describe giddens and his view on choice and equality and his reasons for the transformation

He argues that recently the family and marriage has transferred by more choice.

This is due to

Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction to become the main reason for the relationship

Women have gained independence as a result of feminism and greater opportunities in education and work

As a result the basis of marriage and the family has changed.

What does giddens argue about relationships in the past

Traditional family relationships were held together by external forces such as the laws governing the marriage contract and stigma

By contrast in the present couples are free to define their relationship themselves rather than simply acting out predefined roles defined by law or tradition.

Describe the pure relationship

Giddens, relationships in contemporary society are no longer bound by law, religion, social norms, or traditional institutions. Instead, they are based on individual choice and equality. Giddens describes this as the "pure relationship", which exists solely to satisfy each partner's needs rather than for duty, tradition, or the sake of children.

As a result, relationships are more fluid and unstable, as individuals can enter and leave them freely based on self-discovery and identity formation. The pure relationship is likened to a "rolling contract", meaning it can end at any time if one or both partners feel it is no longer beneficial. This instability contributes to greater family diversity, including lone-parent families, one-person households, and stepfamilies.

Describe same sex couples as pioneers

Giddens argues that same-sex relationships are at the forefront of new family structures because they are not shaped by traditional heteronormative expectations. Unlike heterosexual relationships, which have been historically regulated, stigmatised, and even criminalised, same-sex couples have had the freedom to create relationships based on choice rather than pre-existing norms.

This has enabled same-sex partners to actively construct "families of choice", as found by Weston (1992), who observed that same-sex couples often build supportive family units with friends, ex-partners, and biological kin. Similarly, Weeks (2000) found that friendship networks function as kinship networks for many gay men and lesbians. These developments highlight the increasing diversity of family structures in postmodern society.

Describe beck's view on the negotiated family

Ulrich Beck (1992) builds on the individualisation thesis, arguing that we now live in a risk society where traditional norms and roles have weakened, giving individuals greater choice in how they organise their family life. Unlike the past, where family roles were fixed by tradition (e.g., men as breadwinners, women as caregivers), people today must actively negotiate their roles.

What are the 2 trends that undermine the patriarchal family and what does it lead to

Greater gender equality - Women now expect equality in work and marriage, challenging male domination.

Greater individualism - People's actions are influenced more by self-interest rather than duty to others.

As a result, Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (1995) argue that a new type of family, the negotiated family, has emerged. These families do not conform to a fixed structure but instead adapt based on the wishes and expectations of their members. Decisions are made through negotiation, and relationships are entered into on an equal basis rather than being shaped by traditional norms.

Criticism of the negotiated family

Despite it being more equal than the patriarchal family it is less stable as individuals are free to leave if needs aren't met. This instability leads to greater family diversity creating more lone parent households re marriages etc

Describe the zombie family

Beck describes it as appearing to be alive but in reality it is dead. People want it to be a haven of security in an insecure world but todays family cannot provide this due to its own instability

Criticisms of the individualisation thesis

- It exaggerates how much choice people have about family Budgeon (2011) argues that this reflects the neoliberal ideology that individuals today have complete freedom of choice. In reality, traditional norms that limit people's relationship choices have no weakened as much as the thesis claims.

- It wrongly sees people as disembedded, 'free-floating', independent individuals. It ignores the fact that our decisions ad choices about personal relationships are made within a social context.

- It ignores the importance of structural factors such as social class inequalities and patriarchal gender norms in limiting and shaping our relationship choices.

- As May notes, this is because Gidden's and Beck's view of the individual is simply an idealised version of a white, middle class man. They ignore the fact that not everyone has the same ability as this privileged group to exercise choice about relationships.

Describe the connected thesis

Smart argues that we are fundamentally social beings whose choices are always made 'within a web of connectedness"

According to the thesis we live in a network of existing relationships and interwoven histories. These strongly influence our range of options and choices in relationships.

Shown by Finch and Mason who stated that we can negotiate relationships to some extent but we are embedded within family connections and obligations which restrict choice

How does the connected thesis emphasis the role of the class and gender structures

These structures restrict our choice.

For example

After a divorce, gender norms generally dictate that women should have custody of children which may limit their opportunity to form new relationships which contrasts men who are freer to form new relationships

Men are generally paid better than women giving them greater freedom and choice in relationships Men

Describe the power of structures

May argues that these traditional structures are reshaping instead of disappearing. Such as while women in the past 150 years have gained important rights such as in voting and employment this doesn't mean they now "have it all"

Therefore the PLP doesn't see increased diversity simply as a result of greater freedom but emphasises the importance of social structures shaping the freedom to choose family

So although there is a trend to greater choice the PLP emphasises the continuing importance of structural factors such as class in restricting people's choice

Aspects to the PLP

Connected thesis